For nearly 40 years, Barry Logan, PhD, has been a toxicologist who has worked with government and academic institutions over the course of his career. In 2022, Dr. Barry Logan provided a career retrospective in forensic toxicology published in the Brazilian Journal of Analytical Chemistry.
Forensic toxicology comprises postmortem forensic toxicology, forensic drug testing, and human performance toxicology. Forensic toxicology requires strong record-keeping, stringent quality control standards, data management, and chain of custody management regardless of the subcategory.
To be a forensic toxicologist, a person must not only have a love of the science, but they must have a degree in one of the life or physical sciences and sound background in chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology.
Many toxicologists enter the field after earning advanced degrees, for example, master's and doctorate degrees. After working in medicinal chemistry, clinical chemistry, and pharmacology, others enter the field.
Because of the evolution of drugs, the field leaves many possibilities for those who pursue it as a career. In fact, according to the doctor and the scientist, toxicology gives practitioners the chance to leave a legacy beyond the work accomplished in their lifetime.
